Bad, Bad TiVo

**Caution, this post may use adult language. Possibly childish language as well**

TiVo was the best thing since sliced bread. Our TV viewing has changed 180 degrees since we got it. Watch the shows we want, when we want. Can't remember the last time I had to watch an ad. Brilliance.

But it's been lacking one key feature - the ability to network with your PC, upload and download content, and send stuff back to your PC for burning or whatever. This functionality has been promised from Day 1 via a 'future upgrade' costing 'tens of dollars'.

The much hyped upgrade was released today. At a cost of $199 - easily double the price that was expected. As you can imagine, TiVo users are up in arms, and I am not a very happy camper. At all.

So, Hybrid Media (a subsidiary of Channel 7) - what gives? Why double the indicative cost you gave when you were trying to get the viewing public to adopt this new technology? Why the shameless profit grab, for exactly the same piece of software that is available in the US for $25, plus a media key to unlock the functionality you've already built in?

I just don't get it. I've been looking forward to this for months, I've slowly been stockpiling material that needs to be burnt back to DVD, and I am now between a rock and a hard place. I really don't want to be gouged for this feature, but I feel I have no choice.

So, if you're a TiVo user - start complaining, loudly, to whoever will listen. Start sending emails. Start posting on the forums - tivoforums.com.au and whirlpool.net.au have threads running. Start making some noise, and maybe, just maybe, there might be a backpedal on this.

Edit - other contacts

support@tivo.com.au
helpdesk@tivo.com.au
rminicola@seven.com.au (Hybrid TV CEO)
mhughes@seven.com.au (TiVo General Manager)
Digg topic: http://digg.com/gadgets/TiVo_Under_Fire ... _Customers

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